Pattern Buffers
by Saavik13
Summary: Sarek and the elder Spock meet and Mr. Scott has an idea.


"Pattern buffers." Scotty's heavy accent tinted the words and his eyes danced. "That's the thing, Mr.'s Spock. Pattern buffers."

Spock , Spock, and Sarek stood in the transporter room of the _Enterprise_ and eyed the engineer with a mix of shock, recognition, and distrust respectively.

"Mr. Scott," the elder Spock began, "are you suggesting that it is possible that enough of my mother's pattern remains in the buffers to effect a belated rescue?"

"eye!" The Scotsman beamed. "I like you." He pointed at the older Spock. "Him on the other hand," he switched his attention to the younger model, "he needs a few years o' grown yet."

The younger Spock glowered. "It is impossible to retrieve an incomplete pattern from the buffers."

Sarek raised an eyebrow at the Scotsman. "I believe I must agree with my son's, my current son's, assessment of the situation."

The elder Spock shook his head. "It has been done, or will be done in the future. I was unaware that anyone from this time would think of such a solution. If we increase the power to the buffers and narrow the focus to the beginning of transport when the initial pattern was scanned we may be able to focus the transporter enough to pull a complete pattern. In the future the transporter draws a significantly increased amount of power so the buffers work nearly instantaneously without the current need for repeat pattern scanning. The principles that allow for faster transport in my time should be adaptable to Mr. Scott's current suggestion. The initial scan done may be complete but this model transporter requires repeated scans to insure accuracy as a safety precaution and due to power constraints. That does not necessarily mean the initial scan was incomplete. This may work."

"Or it may not." The engineer stated gravely. "If we canna get the pattern stabilized and complete enough off the initial scan…"

"Mother will die a horrible death from partial transportation on the pad." The younger Spock finished.

Father and son eyed one another speculatively. Sarek nodded once. "We have to try."

"I concur." The older Spock agreed.

"It 'al take me a few hours to get the circuits realigned." Scotty started. "If I could have the younger one I could use a hand. I doubt you're down to speed on these Ambassador Spock. I imagine they are somewhat antiquated to you."

The elder Spock nodded. "You are correct, Mr. Scott. I do recall their configuration if you require additional assistance, however I believe you grasp the necessary theory behind this endeavor and I will leave you to your task. As it stands, I believe Sarek and I have much to discuss."

Sarek nodded and eyed the Vulcan beside him. The man was easily fifty to a hundred years his senior and yet his son had explained the truth. There were two Spocks, two sons here. It was disconcerting.

They left the transporter room and tried to ignore the banging and accented cursing they were leaving behind. The _Enterprise_ had been assigned the duty of escorting Sarek of Vulcan and the mysterious "Ambassador" – only Spock, Kirk, and the Vulcan and Federation leaders knew the truth- to scout out potential planet's to relocate all that remained of Vulcan's population. The engineer had conceived of his plan within hours of their departure.

By unspoken agreement they walked to Sarek's assigned quarters and when they entered they stood facing one another. Sarek eyed his "son" carefully. There was not much that would give the secret away. The man before him bore a quiet confidence and peace that Sarek doubted his Spock would ever find. The lines on his face told of trial and hardship and great suffering. But they also spoke of joy and Sarek was unsure what to make of the entire situation. He'd lost Amanda and gained a second Spock.

Spock's stance shifted till his hands were clasped behind his back in Starfleet's signature pose. Only on this older version of his son it looked like second nature rather than the forced constraint it appeared to be on the younger one. Sarek motioned for them to sit.

"I suppose we both have many questions for one another." Spock stated slowly, his voice matured to a deep rumble. "I must confess that in my previous experiences with time travel I have never had the luxury of imparting knowledge. Due to Nero's actions I find I am liberated from the laws that I myself wrote." A near smile quirked the corner of his mouth and Sarek found himself drawing back in surprise. " I find I enjoy this freedom." Spock nodded slowly and his expression shifted to a solemn somewhat pained stoicism. "However, I am unsure of certain events in this altered timeline. I would ask you to enlighten me in return for what I can tell you of the alternate reality from which I come."

Sarek found himself grasping for control as his first question poured out. "Did Amanda live and was Vulcan…"

Spock nodded slowly. "Vulcan was safe when and where I left her. Mother lived to be quite old for a human. She died when you were away at a critical negation, but I was by her side." Spock paused. "T-Lar, the High Priestess at that time, tried to assist me in retrieving her katra. We were unsure that a human's could be saved. We were unsuccessful." Spock let out a long breath. "Mother's loss was…not easy for you."

Sarek's mouth tensed. "No, I imagine that no matter when it was to take place it would be equally difficult." He paused for a moment. "You, my son. Did you find a measure of contentment in the long years of your life?"

Spock's eyebrow rose and he tilted his head to the side. "Fascinating. The Sarek I knew would not have asked that question." Spock steepled his fingers. "I married late in life. I had three children with Saavik before I was called to assist with saving Romulus. By that point I was also a grandfather. My relationship with my Sarek was strained at best after I joined StarFleet. While you were well acquainted with my children we have had little contact since mother's death." Spock paused again. "When my Sarek remarried the strain was increased."

Sarek drew back. "I remarried?" He paused and closed his eyes as if in pain. "I gather it was a necessary choice, one that if this Mr. Scott is unsuccessful I will have to address here and now. There are too few of us left to risk my survival."

Spock nodded slowly. "I believe that time has given me a perspective that in my youth and later adulthood I did not possess. If we fail I will talk with Spock. Perhaps the strain I had with my father can be avoided with your son."

Sarek turned away slightly. "What will you do, without your wife or children?"

Spock inhaled and tapped his joined fingers lightly against his mouth. "Fortunately I am unaffected by the same…requirements, as you with regards to finding a partner." At his father's raised eyebrow Spock elaborated. "I only suffered the fires twice. Once while serving on the _Enteriprise_ and once after my death and resurrection." Spock waved off his father's unspoken question. "That story is a long one and not relevant to the current discussion. In the ensuing months it will take to locate and establish a colony I am sure we will have ample opportunity to discuss it in detail. For the matter at hand I have another difficulty."

Spock sighed. "My wife was much younger than I. She would be an infant in this timeline. When I was serving on the_ Enterprise_…" Spock slowly told the story of Hellgaurd to his Father and watched the subtitle play of emotion over his face. Perhaps it was the weight of years or the recent tragedy, but Spock was for the first time in his life able to read his father.

"It is possible," Sarek began, "That this Saavik and the Romulan hybrids exist here as well. Those three expeditions did go missing. However," he paused. "Were we to rescue them you would be unable to establish the same relationship."

Spock nodded. "I was once her mentor. That is all I would now require. There were several hundred Vulcan's held captive at the facility. Regardless of Saavik's status, it would be wise to rescue them as soon as possible. It would mean risking a confrontation with the Romulans but I believe if done correctly we may be able to extract the survivors without alerting the Empire to our presence. With the destruction of Vulcan it is unlikely they would recognize the action as a Federation move. We will need to convince the council."

"That will not be difficult." Sarek nodded to himself. "Their sympathies are with us at the moment. We have only to ask and it will be granted." Sarek eyed his son carefully. "There is another concern."

Spock stood abruptly and went to stare out the viewport. "Father," he began softly. "I do not know if the situation here was the same as in my youth."

"Sybok." Sarek spoke the name with quiet anger. "You ask of Sybok."

Spock turned around. "Did he reject our ways? Was he banished?"

"Does he live?" Sarek asked in response. He too walked over to the viewport and stared out into the darkness. "I do not know the answer to the last question, Spock. He was exiled, nearly 20 earth years ago. I would…welcome hearing from him if he attempts contact. With the loss of so much, I find I would not reject the attempt."

Spock shook his head. "If my brother is the same here as he was in my reality, it would not be a pleasant encounter."

Spock pivoted and returned to his seat. "I am old, Sarek of Vulcan. I have seen much and I have…done much." Spock's eyes darkened. "This pain is new however and I am unsure how to weather it. I have never before lost my entire planet."

Sarek sat down again and watched Spock's face in the flickering light of a makeshift meditation pot. "You are different, my son. You have learned a level of control that even the master's at Gol would envy if all you have is uncertainly." Sarek looked away. "I have anger and hate and…bitterness."

Both were quiet until Spock's hand slowly reached for his father's arm. "I see your face and I wish I could again speak to the Sarek that I knew. I wonder how alike you are to him and how different. But, I may never know." Spock dropped his hand away. "The irony is that now I am an elder of Vulcan, I the half-breed, the one they have never quite known what to do with. I will help rebuild our world with what time I have left. It may not be as long as will be required. There is a great likelihood…"Spock paused. "It is likely that I am in the early stages of Bendii Syndrome. I had planned on undergoing the tests after my mission to Romulus. If that is in fact the case, I have at most a dozen years of functionality left even with the advanced treatments developed from my time and assuming I can reproduce them from memory."

Spock shivered slightly as his father's hand touched his arm back in response.

"We will build it together." Sarek let a tiny twitch lift the corner of his mouth. "I see your mother in you, Spock. I see her before me now as I have never before seen her in our son. I worried that Spock would never find the balance between the worlds of his birth. I see in you the answer is a good one."

The com flared and Scotty's exuberant voice informed them that they were ready. The two Vulcans stood as one and moved quickly to the transporter room, leaving the rest of their conversation for another time.

The _Enterprise_ dropped out of warp to re-route power to the transporter room and Kirk joined them, Uhura taking a place by the younger Spock's side, her hand slipping into his.

Scotty twirled a dial and flipped a switch. The lights dimmed and a low hum began to vibrate the plating. Slowly, the pad began to light up and swirling waves of color swam on the deck. As if in slow motion they watched as a figure began to appear lying spread out on the transporter. It took a solid five minutes for the transporter to stop buffering the pattern and everyone held their breath as the lights faded.

Slowly and painfully the figure raised its head and both Spock's drew in a quick breath as the veil fell back.

"Husband," Amanda asked quietly as she picked herself up off the pad and gazed around the room with wide eyes. "What has happened?"

Sarek didn't answer in words. He was up the few steps and had his wife in a tight embrace within seconds. Amanda gasped in surprise when she saw there were ghosts of tears in his eyes.

The elder Spock watched with satisfaction and retreated to the back of the room. He could wait to embrace his mother again. He, after all, had a been able to do so many times. The younger version of himself that was slowly climbing up to the pad had yet to form those memories.


End file.
